RoyalDude wrote:I dig your hockey insight Pot, but Canuck fans are the best at adapting new excuses to whatever the situation. OK so, if you are right, when should we be expecting the 'SWITCH' to 'FLIP TO THE ON POSITION'?

The slow start was an easy prediction. First of all this group almost always starts slowly and that's with a full preseason and a normally healthy roster.

The bigger problem however was the fact that none of our vets played in Europe.

Throw in a 6 game over 10 days stretch and a slow start was a forgone conclusion.

I'm hoping that they can hold the .500 record through game 10, and by that time they have a 3 game in 9 day stretch where they can hopefully get some recovery and practice time in.

I guess the whole switch flipping thingy grew pretty old last season and into the playoffs.

Here's what I don't get, last year we used the 'not rested' card up like no other, now we are running with the 'too well rested' card. So can u at least dig it as to why ole chef boi RD here is growing tired of all u cats drumming up an excuse for everything instead of calling a spade a spade?

I would suggest it was less about flipping a switch and more about the abilities of Kesler to play at 100%. Funny how the switch is more easy to flip when the most important player on your team is healthy.

Vancouver was also beaten out in the playoffs by an LA team that became the best puck possession team in the league after the trade deadline when they flipped a 6th d-man in Johnson for a top liner in Carter. LA didn't allow any team to flip the switch in last years playoffs.

Larry Goodenough wrote:Garrison played with Bieksa the last 1.66 games. So, I agree he shouldn't be blamed for Edler's play.

Vancouver had a worst start last year and were 8 points clear after 48 games.

But they weren't 8 points clear after 82 games.....unless you are talking about just the NW division.....in that case they finished 21 points clear. But when 4 of 5 teams in a division miss the playoffs, that changes things a bit when suddenly you have a much deeper team in Minnesota. All I'm saying is that they can't afford to take this slow start to the max because in this compressed season, young teams that die off after 40ish games aren't going to die off the same way. We are fortunate right now that our division is as weak as it is and that Minnesota is starting about as quickly as the Canucks. If Minny was off to a hot start, and building confidence with that group of players, we could be busy chasing down the final playoff spot as it is looking more likely that that is where 2nd in the NW is going to finish.

Meds wrote: If Minny was off to a hot start, and building confidence with that group of players, we could be busy chasing down the final playoff spot as it is looking more likely that that is where 2nd in the NW is going to finish.

You can come up with any type of hypothetical situation and ask what if.

If Kesler and Booth weren't injured to start the year, we might have an extra point or two at this point.

Either way, you can't read too much into the first few weeks of a shortened season and I've been saying this since the first game.

Being .500 after the first 10-12 games isn't as bad a predicament as some may think since it signals only the quarter mark of the season. Typically the Canucks get their game in gear around that time, but considering Kesler and Booth are coming off injuries, they may sputter a bit longer than usual but this team's goaltending and overall balance is too good to be in a fight for a playoff spot.

If this team is .500 after the 20 game mark, then I'd be a bit more concerned but at this point the sample is too small and too unreliable considering the circumstances to be certain about much.

Personally I could care less whether the panicked crowd thinks this is justification for a poor start, but I wouldn't be too excited about a fast start either.

As for the game, the Canucks will continue to have trouble against this Kings team with a relentless forecheck and a great down-low game that gives the Canucks fits.

Vancouver really has not chance beating LA in a playoff series unless they have their top 2 lines rolling and are able to dictate the pace.

Even though the Sharks outclassed the Canucks on the scoreboard I wouldn't have nearly as much concern facing them in a playoff series.

Fasten your seat belts, we are in for another exciting season of 'waiting for the switch to flip'.

So, from what everyone says, the switch won't flip until Kesler's on ship.

Can anyone tell me at what point of this shortened season will it be too late to flip the switch? I would say the 1/4 point myself, which is the 12 game mark. Anyone else agree? Or is the 1/3 point better? The 16 game mark?

"I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? - Plastics." - The Graduate

RoyalDude wrote:Can anyone tell me at what point of this shortened season will it be too late to flip the switch? I would say the 1/4 point myself, which is the 12 game mark. Anyone else agree? Or is the 1/3 point better? The 16 game mark?

Instead of responding to a "flip the switch" narrative..

First of all I don't see motivation as being an issue at this point so I'm not waiting for these guys to suddenly awaken and play well.

Regardless of what's going on elsewhere with teams playing well or poorly so far it's clear the Canucks are not yet in good enough game shape, their timing isn't good enough and the reads aren't there, amongst other issues.

These types of problems are typically rectified over time. Considering it's well documented that players on this Canucks team are typically in excellent shape, their physical conditioning should be fine over the long-term.

As they're currently constituted, the Canucks should still finish in the top 3-6 in the West on their defensive personnel, goaltending, top line and some effective role players but it's not going anywhere in the playoffs.

What I'm more interested in seeing is how well Kesler and Booth perform after they return.

I could really care less where we finish in the standings after these last two years of winning the presidents trophy. All I care about is whether this team can play at a high level at around the midway point of the season and be healthy for a playoff run.

Unless things really fall apart, we shouldn't see this team being below .500 past the 20 game mark. If they can be in mid-season form by mid-season, they shouldn't have anything to worry about in the regular season, whether they finish 1st or 5th.

I don't believe in the switch theory. I have played enough sports to know its more a combination of factors...The human factorthe health of at team or playerCircumstances at the momentCoaches Influences or lack ofPosition In the league (Standings)The league itself (rules/changes/enforcement)The fans..home or awayTravelThe opponentYou get my drift, that's why it so difficult to put it all together at the right time. There are so many variables the do not allow the black and white stance you preach.

These are not machines, these are people like you and me and that is the unknown...people we are just fucked...lol

RoyalDude wrote:Can anyone tell me at what point of this shortened season will it be too late to flip the switch? I would say the 1/4 point myself, which is the 12 game mark. Anyone else agree? Or is the 1/3 point better? The 16 game mark?

Instead of responding to a "flip the switch" narrative..

First of all I don't see motivation as being an issue at this point so I'm not waiting for these guys to suddenly awaken and play well.

Regardless of what's going on elsewhere with teams playing well or poorly so far it's clear the Canucks are not yet in good enough game shape, their timing isn't good enough and the reads aren't there, amongst other issues.

These types of problems are typically rectified over time. Considering it's well documented that players on this Canucks team are typically in excellent shape, their physical conditioning should be fine over the long-term.

As they're currently constituted, the Canucks should still finish in the top 3-6 in the West on their defensive personnel, goaltending, top line and some effective role players but it's not going anywhere in the playoffs.

What I'm more interested in seeing is how well Kesler and Booth perform after they return.

I could really care less where we finish in the standings after these last two years of winning the presidents trophy. All I care about is whether this team can play at a high level at around the midway point of the season and be healthy for a playoff run.

Unless things really fall apart, we shouldn't see this team being below .500 past the 20 game mark. If they can be in mid-season form by mid-season, they shouldn't have anything to worry about in the regular season, whether they finish 1st or 5th.

So from reading this post of yours Coco, you are a proponent of the Flipping of the Switch theory that has been going on since after the 42 game mark of last season which was the well documented game (game 42) in Boston whereby we beat them pretty handedly with a great seeing eye shot from Hodgson and the infamous Weise goading of Thornton into a fight but backed down when Thornton gladly accepted.

The 40 games after that game was miserable low scoring, apparently called Shut Down hockey. In 24 of those remaining 40 games the Canucks scored 2 goals or fewer. The last 40 games of the season the Canucks had THE WORST POWER PLAY OF ALL 30 TEAMS IN THE NHL. It didn't stop there at the end of the season game 82, this carried on against the Kings in the playoffs whereby we were ousted quite easily.

During this 40 game stretch of real exciting, fire wagon brand of hockey, was when all of you started using the pathetic 'Flipping of the Switch' Theory. "Don't worry, the Canucks will flip the switch when it counts" blah, blah, blah. Well, Boi RD is done with the Flipping of the Switch theory. I got a hint for ya - IT WILL NOT HAPPEN. It's been how many games now since that memorable game against the Bruins that we have played... well, kind of lamely.

So, what Booth and Kesler represent to you now, when they come back that is, is that that is when this apparent Switch will be flipped. Even though Booth and Kesler did play during the whole Flip Switching scene last year, they somehow represent when the switch will be flipped this season, like Booth is that special to us.

Excuses after excuses after excuses. Last year we said, 'we are still feeling the affects of the Cup run, we are not well rested Blah, blah, blah, blah. Now you have the likes of cagey, legendary posters like Potatoe saying, 'they are too rested, now'. My god people, when will this end? Wake up and smell the coffee, the switch will not flip. Trust me.

"I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? - Plastics." - The Graduate

A bit off topic, but talking about the team in general, this is a make or break season for AV imo, this team's core players has been together a long fuckin time now, with the same o same o coaching style and it's beginning to feel a bit stagnant and tiresome.

Aqua bros can only handle so much getting kicked out early in the playoffs, one cup run can only keep your employment for so long AV!

IF the team gets knocked out in 1st or 2nd round this season, MG will probably want to acquire a different coach for a fresh new perspective this offseason.

Lol... there was a switch flipped last year. It was flipped by the league when officiating changed to accomodate the clutch & grab, trap style hockey that we saw used by the Ranger, 'Yotes, Blues and LA. It was seen as a winning strategy and then everyone tried to emulate it.

But that was last year. This year with the shortened season we are seeing a fair amount of pretty aggressive (and sometimes sloppy) hockey. It hasn't been an ideal start but seriously, this isn't a lot different from our usual starts and hopefully with the shortened season we will hit our stride at the appropriate time and be healthy. No switch flip or shit like that, just peaking at the appropriate time and place.

I for one, am happy with how some of our past elements are coming together - Ballard and Tanev are playing solid D. Kassian is no longer Gassian and playing well with the Twins. Hell Burrows is actually doing not bad leading the second line and isn't being a diving shit like he's been accused in the past. There are gaps for sure as defensive coverage is spotty at times, our top 4 aren't quite there yet and our PP is still predictable.

Kesler and Booth coming back will help. Kesler cause he is the heart of the team and Booth cause I think he'll have a hunger to prove himself after a mediocre season. Kassian has stepped up... maybe Booth will too.

RoyalDude wrote:So from reading this post of yours Coco, you are a proponent of the Flipping of the Switch theory that has been going on since after the 42 game mark of last season which was the well documented game (game 42) in Boston whereby we beat them pretty handedly with a great seeing eye shot from Hodgson and the infamous Weise goading of Thornton into a fight but backed down when Thornton gladly accepted.

Holy cannoli!

Talk about deranged ramblings of a bitter man...

Yeah, I was TOTALLY talking about switching the flip, incredible comprehension Columbo.